Chocolate, Coconut & Mango Torte (*AD)

*N.B. This is a paid advertorial with Tesco*

If you’re anything like me, then you’ll already be feeling giddy with excitement about Christmas.

I LOVE the festive season, and everything about it – from buying gifts and spending time with family, to cosying up with hot chocolate in my PJs and preparing (and eating!) all kinds of delicious foods.

I am the only vegan in my family, though, so I do always have to think ahead to what I’ll be eating on Christmas Day. Luckily, I already have pudding sorted, thanks to this incredible Chocolate, Coconut & Mango Torte.

This decadent recipe by Tesco is vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free, yet you’d never guess it! In fact, it is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser, whether you’re feeding those with diet requirements or not – my boys especially loved this rich, chocolatey treat!

Plus, with that vibrant, exotic topping, it looks every bit as impressive as it tastes, and would make a beautiful centrepiece on any Christmas table.

The filling (a combination of silken tofu, coconut milk and Free From Soft Cheese) is rich and silky smooth in texture. Yet it’s balanced out by a delicious, crunchy granola base. And when you add in the sweetness and tropical flavours of the mango and the coconut, well…let’s just say that I promise you won’t stop at one slice!

This is the first time I had tried creating a vegan-friendly baked chocolate torte, and it definitely will not be the last! Happily, it’s also very simple to prepare, and easy to make ahead of time and stash in your fridge, too.

This torte really is a firm favourite, and I can’t wait for the festive season (or the weekend!) to make it again!

If you are looking for some inspiration this Christmas, I also urge you to check out the Tesco Real Food website. It is FULL of delicious recipes, made especially to suit all sorts of dietary requirements (I also love the vegan meringues and the Lebkuchen), and they have plenty of incredible ready-made food, too – the Tesco Finest mince pies always keep hungry bellies happy here!

Anyway, please let me know if you try this Torte, too – and tag me in any of your creations!

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180C, fan 160C. Grease and line a 6-7cm deep, 18cm-wide springform cake tin. Double wrap the outside of the tin with foil to make it waterproof.

Put the granola in a bowl and crush with the end of a rolling pin. Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over a medium heat, then mix into the granola. Spoon into the tin, press down with the back of a spoon and bake for 15 mins.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the soft cheese, cocoa and sugar. Put the tofu in a blender or food processor with the coconut milk and corn flour, and blitz briefly until smooth. Stir into the soft cheese mix until combined.

Once the base is cooked, stand the tin in a deep roasting tin. Spoon over the chocolate mix. Boil a kettle, then pour water into the roasting tin so it comes to halfway up the sides of the cake tin. Bake for 1 hr or until firm. Turn off the oven and leave the torte inside to cool for 15 mins with the door ajar.

Transfer the torte from the water to a wire rack. Leave to cool completely in the tin (about 2 hrs), then remove and slide onto a serving plate. Chill for 2 hrs.

To serve, peel and slice the mango. Toss in rum, if using, and arrange on top of the torte. Scatter over the coconut and chocolate, if using. Cut into slices.